You’ll probably find that like most people -you’re living your life primarily in the “now.” You’ve worked hard and are making enough to meet the mortgage on the home that you really like, in the neighborhood that suits you. You might have a boat that you take out on the lake or the ocean whenever you can. When you have dinner guests over, you have a great space for entertaining. You drive a car that is reliable and that you appreciate the look of, and your spouse probably has a separate vehicle.

Have you given any thought to how this lifestyle might change after retirement? You may be the kind of person who loves their lifestyle, and would want it to remain the same once your working years have ended. You may want to keep that house, those cars and that boat and not want to “downsize” to something like a mobile home or an apartment.

“If you see yourself in this scenario, then the next step is to take a good, honest look at your approaching retirement years,” says Martin Walcoe , EVP of David Lerner Associates. “Ask yourself if you will have the income to support yourself in the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed”

You’ve worked hard all your life and definitely deserve to engage in the lifestyle you want after retirement. Like anything else, however, it needs to be planned for. To achieve the retirement you truly envision for yourself tomorrow, you need to start examining the “hows and whys” today.

In making such planning, it might be advisable to sit down with a professional financial planner who can guide you through your best options. If you are planning on living off of savings, you should figure out how much you are going to need after retirement. Following that, you should ensure that you are regularly putting enough away right now so that you meet that goal. In addition, there are numerous investments that you can make that might provide a steady income after retirement and keep you safe and secure.

How do you want to live after retirement? The time to answer that question is now, well before you retire—so you can maintain the lifestyle you want.Material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be used in connection with the evaluation of any investments offered by David Lerner Associates,Inc. (DLA). This material does not constitute an offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities and should not be considering in connection with the purchase or sale of securities. Member FINRA & SIPC.